Air pistol



March .14, 1939. F. MLLER 2,150,288 y AIR PISTOL Filed Feb. l, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l Er .1. jc ,g '157 15 j,

F. MLLER March 14, 193.9.v

AIR PISTOL Filed Feb. Al, 1937 Z-Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE Application February 1, 1937, Serial No. 123,539

- In Germany January 31. 1936 12 Claims.

(Granted under the provisions of sec. 14, act of March 2, 1927: 357 O. G. 5)

This invention relates to air weapons, more particularly air pistols, and refers in particular to improvements relating to the cooking and trigger mechanism of weapons of this nature.

Owing to the desire to furnish the weapon with the usual pistol form the cooking lever in the known air pistols having a ilxed air cylinder and a drop barrel is merely short, so that a very short lever arm results and considerable force is required to oook the weapon. In view of the exertion associated with the cooking of weapons of this nature the person employing the weapon quickly tires and acquires an unsteady hand.

' To avoid the disadvantages of the known 1I weapon the cooking lever in accordance with the invention is constructed with two arms and covers with its longer arm, which forms the grip or handle of the lever, the rear portion of the barrel and the air cylinder, while the shorter arm, which l) is constructed as discharge member, engages below the barrel and is connected there to the cooking rod. In this embodiment of the invention the trigger mechanism is disposed, for example, below the cooking lever for-the purpose of attaining as compared with the known air weapons having the trigger rod, disposed behind the cooking rod a shorter length and accordingly an improved usefulness of the weapon. The air weapon according to the invention combines max- I0 imum output, ready cooking, good balance in the hand, long line of sight identical with the position of the barrel with short overall length of the weapon, and minimum cost of production.

In order in this embodiment according to the l5 invention also to obtain a small height, and accordingly to move the trigger mechanism and the grip nearer towards the centre line of the air cylinder, the cooking rod actuated by the cooking lever is, in accordance with an additional em- 40 bodment of the invention, constructed in bifuroated form and the trigger mechanism is disposed between the fork of the cooking rod.

The telescopic arrangement of the parts may naturally also be performed in other suitable fashion. The arrangement according to the in' vention corresponding to the embodiment concerned also permits of the provision, withv simple means, of the safety device for the trigger, which 50 prevents the weapon from being discharged in the opened condition.

Additional features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings..

55 In the drawings there are shown two forms of embodiment of the air weapon according to the invention,

Fig. 1 showing the cooking lever according to the invention as applied to an air pistol shown in elevation. 5

Fig. 2 shows the same arrangement viewed from above.

Fig. 3 is a view of the cooking lever from the iront, and

Fig. 4 shows the cooking lever in the opened l0 position.

In these embodiments the trigger mechanism is disposed below the cooking rod actuated by the cooking lever constructed in accordance with the invention. 16

Fig. 5 shows, partially in section, an air pistol similar to that in Fig. 1, wherein the cooking rod actuated by the cooking lever is constructed in bifurcated form and the trigger mechanism is disposed between the fork of the cooking rod.

Fig. 6 ls a cross-section taken through the air cylinder, the bifurcated cooking rod and the trigger mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view from below of the embodiment according to Fig. 5 showing the cook- 25 ingand trigger mechanism partially from the side, and

Fig. 8 shows the cooking lever in the opened position corresponding to Fig. 4.

In the drawings the cooking lever according to the invention is designated I (I, Ib, I, Id), and in the form of embodiment shown it is constructed as a two-armed lever, which is mounted to rock about a pin 3 on both sides of the barrel 2. The pin 3 is carried by the supporting arm 4 35 (Figs. 3 and 4), which is integral with the air cylinder 5. Towards the front the short lever arms Ic situated on either side unite with the cooking rod 6 to form a joint, which is situated below the barrel 2 and is connected by the pin 1. 4o Towards the rear the two arms Ic combine to form a grip Ib, and this, covering the rear end of the barrel 2, bears against the air cylinder 5 and terminates in a sight formed at Id. To preclude accidental movement there are provided the projections 8 and the recesses 9.

'I'he operation of the cooking lever is as follows:

If the cooking lever Ia is gripped by the arm Ib and lifted away from the pistol, it rocks about the pin 3. 'I'he rocking of the lever lab causes the pin 1 of the short lever arm lc to move towards the air cylinder 5 (compare Fig. 4). The oooking rod 6, which is pivotally secured to the arm I c by the pin 1, engages with its end 6'! through a 55 -cocks the air piston in the known manner.

parts are not particularly shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

The closed cooking lever I (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) covers at the point designated I the rear end of the barrel 2 and thus holds the same in the closed position.

If the cooking lever I is rocked for the purpose of cooking Ythe weapon, the barrel 2, which is acted upon by the spring It, is also rocked to a certain extent by the friction of the laterally resilient projections 2 on lthe lever i against the curvature of the barrel 2, and the small spring I@ holds the same open for charging purposes (see Fig. 4). When the cooking lever I is again closed it moves-by means of the part I, the

barrel 2, which preferably has the same fulcrum 3 lever I and together therewith the barrel 2, which bears in airtight fashion against the air cylinder, in the closed condition. The end Ib of the cocking lever forms at the same time by reason of suitable construction the sight Id- In this way there is obtained the long line of sight iden-tical with the position of the barrel which is necessary for an air weapon of good design.

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8 shows a cooking lever in accordance with Figs. 1 to 4 also, by way of example, in conjunction with an air pistol. In this embodiment, however, the cooking rod is constructed in bifurcated form and the trigger mechanism is disposed between the arms of this rod.

In the air cylinder 5 there is located the air piston II. The same is acted upon by the pressure spring I2. The air cylinder 51s closed at the rear by the detachable cover I3 and at the front by the sleeve head I4, with which there is irmly connected the arm 4 (Fig. 8). 'I'his arm 4 serves for attachment of the barrel 2 with the aid of the pin 3, and is adapted as regards its upper face to the cross-section oi the barrel 2, whereby there is ensured absolute immovability of the barrel2 when the pistol is closed. The pin 3.acts simultaneously as pivot for the cooking lever I, which is connected by the pin I to the cooking lever joint I5, this in'turn being connected by the pin I8 to the bifurcated cooking rod 6 (6a, 6b) 'Ihe bifurcated rod may consist equally well of two iron strips riveted together or of onesingle forked member. 'Ihe cooking rod 6 is guided in the cooking rod guide I1, which is secured-to the air cylinder 5 and in which there is mounted the trigger I9 with the aid of the pin I8. The trigger I9 carries the safety pin 20. 'I'he arms 6a, 6b of the rod 6 are widened out towards the front and are furnished at their rear ends with outwardly set oilabutments 2| which, upon the cooking of the pistol, move the air piston II towards the rear until it engages with the catch rod 22. The catch rod 22, with the assistance of the pin 23, is mounted to rock in the retaining member 24. which is iirmly connected to the air cylinder 5 and serves simultaneously for attachment of the stock 25 with the assistance of the hook-shaped pin 26 and the nut 21. The trigger I9 and the catch rod 22 are acted upon by the pressure of the spring 28, and are provided between the arms 6, 6b of the rod 6, as disclosed very clearly by Fig. 7. In this ligure, for the sake of more comprehensive illustration, the guide I'I for the cooking rod and the retaining member 24 have not been particularly shown.

The operation of the weapon according'to this form of embodiment is as follows:

For opening and cooking the pistol the cooking lever I is moved towards the front. In this way the barrel 2, which is acted upon bythe spring I0, is exposed for charging purposes. At the same time, through the medium of the cooking lever joint I5 and the bifurcated cooking rod 6 with its abutments 2I, the piston II is moved back against the action of the 'spring I2 until it is engaged and held by the resilient catch rod 22.

During the backward and forward movement of the cooking rod 6 the trigger I9 cannot be pressed.

the pistol, therefore. is secured. This is accomplished by the fact that a widened portion of the front part of the rod 6 prevents an upward movement of the safety pin 20 and accordingly a movement of the trigger I9 towards the rear',` so that the catch rod 22 cannot be released during the opening and cooking of the pistol. The free movability of the trigger I9 is shown in Fig. 5, the obstructed movement in Fig. 8. Upon the closing of the pistol all parts return to the position in Fig. 5, while the piston II remains in the position shown in Fig. 8. By pressure on the trigger I9 the catch rod 22 is released, the air piston II jumps forward', and the is forced through the barrel 2 under the action of the compressed air.

WhatI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An air weapon comprising a barrel rotatable around a xed point to permit the barrel to tilt, a stationary air cylinder having a piston therein and a compression spring for driving said piston when the spring 'is tensioned, a trigger mechanism, a cooking lever, a cooking rod connected at one end to the cooking lever and the other end cooperating with the piston, and a spring-urgedvcatch rod having one end projectother.

2. An air weapon comprising a barrel rotatable around a fixed point to permit the barrel to tilt, a stationary air cylinder having a piston therein and a compression spring for driving said pistonwhen the spring is tensioned, a trigger mechanism, a cooking lever, va cooking rod connected at one end to the cooking lever and the other end cooperating. with the piston, and a spring-urged catch rod having one end projecting into the air cylinder 'and in the path of the piston to hold said piston under the tension of said compression spring. and the other end contacting directly with the trigger, said cooking rod being forked and the catch rod being provided between the two arms of the fork to permit relative movement between these members.

3. An air weapon according to claim 2, in which the air cylinder is provided with two elongated slots in which the forks of the cooking rod are guided.

4. An air weapon according to claim 2, in which a guide is provided secured on the cylinder for guiding the cooking rod.

5. An air weapon according to claim 2, in which a guide is provided secured on the cylinder for guiding the cocking rod, and in which a retaining member is provided secured to the air cylinder and which guides and pivots the catch rod.

6. An air weapon according to claim 1, in which a pin is provided on the trigger and the cocking rod having a widened portion which is adapted to contact the pin on the trigger during the cocking operation and to prevent release of the trigger until the catch rod has contacted the piston and the cocking lever has completed the cocking movement.

7. An air weapon comprising a barrel rotatable around a iixed point to permit the barrel to tilt, a stationary air cylinder having a piston therein and a compression spring for driving said piston when the spring is tensioned, a trigger, a cocking rod cooperating with the piston for moving the piston in its cylinder to tension the spring, a cocking lever consisting of two arms of unequal length in which the longer arm will contact and cover the rear portion of the barrel and the air cylinder and the shorter arm projects below the barrel and is pivotally connected to the cocking rod, and a catch rod having one end projecting into the air cylinder and in the path of the piston to hold said piston under the tension of the compression spring and the other end contacting directly with the trigger.

8. An air weapon according to claim 7, in which a spring is provided between the air cylinder and one end of the catch rod to urge the other end of the catch rodv into the air cylinder and to urge the trigger into the non-operative position.

9. An air weapon according to claim 7, in which means are provided for tilting the barrel, and the longer arm of the cocking lever where it covers the rear portion of the barrel being adapted to contact the barrel for maintaining the barrel in register with the air cylinder.

10. An air weapon according to claim 7, in which a supporting arm is provided integral with the air cylinder to which both the barrel and the cocking lever are rotatably mounted.

11. An air weapon according to claim '7, in which a supporting arm is provided integral with the air cylinder to which both the barrel and the cocking lever are rotatably mounted, and in which the cocking lever and the supporting arm are provided with co-operating projections and recesses to lock the barrel to the air cylinder in air-tight register.

12. An air weapon according to claim '7, in which a supporting arm is provided integral with the air cylinder to which both the barrel and the cocking lever are rotatably mounted, and in which the cocking lever and the supporting arm are provided with co-operating projections and recesses to lock the barrel to the air cylinder in air-tight register, and a spring is provided between the supporting arm and the barrel to move the barrel in its tilted position when released by the cocking lever.

FRANZ MLLER. 

